Reader Problems - Or, The Struggle Is Real

Today is Thursday, which means a bookish day. And Cait @ Paper Fury tagged me for a Reader Problems tag, and the questions are fun and bookish and lovely, so I'm going to do the thing.

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

I don't know how to make decisions like that. I've got 20 right now, which is pretty close to 20,000, and I still don't even know what order they're in. I like to have a classic between every three YA books I read, to balance things out, but other than that...it shifts around depending on how eager I am to read something. Sequels take priority, generally, and books that have to go back to the library soon.

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or commit?

I've just recently started quitting with books I'm not into, because I have so many to read all of a sudden! Which is sad, but it must be done. That being said, I have to have a really good reason to stop reading - if it's just too dull, or I'm not generally pleased with the content, or I really absolutely loathe it, I'll put it down. Otherwise, I try to struggle through. Some books I've recently had to put down include I Am Number Four (didn't really get into this one, but I want to try it again sometime), Partials (I was bored to death a few chapters in), and Salvage (Ugh. wasn't a fan at all.) So there have been a few.

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

My new favorite gif, in case you were wondering.

Laugh at me all you want, but I...don't. I have a meltdown and buy copies that do match, because I can't handle that kind of stress and I like everything to be pretty and matchy.

I also get irritated beyond belief when some books are bigger than the rest on the shelf. Red Rising and Golden Son and Steelheart and Firefight are MUCH taller than the others I have and it's driving me insane. Slowly.

5. Everyone and their mother love a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

This was how I felt with Michael Grant's Gone. Unfortunately, I had to suffer in silence.

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I don't often cry over books, and especially not in public. But there was that once, with UnDivided by Neal Shusterman...there was shouting. In public. I didn't handle it very well.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!

I reread. A lot. *looks at UnDivided again* So I'll probably reread the last book in the series, or the very ending, just to catch up.

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. Borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

"I DID WARN YOU."

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I don't get this problem often, but it does happen. My solution? REREAD ALL THE THINGS. I'll read things I love and can't put down until the slump goes away.

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

I just recently started buying books. It's become a problem. But to be fair, it's generally books I've already read and loved, or the sequels to those books.

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

Those are generally the books that get top priority on my reading stack, so not very long. Although, I got Firefight about two weeks ago, and still haven't gotten to it. *cries*

There you have it! Instead of tagging, I open this up to anyone and everyone who feels like talking about their bookish habits, because this was a ton of fun and everyone should have a go at it. So go and do the thing, people! But also, tell me: Do you do any of the things I've mentioned here, or do you do things differently? What are some of your bookish quirks and habits? What's your favorite book you own? Comment away, as always.

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I like your habit of switching in a classic between every three YA books. I totally need to start doing that because although I love classics, I most certainly do not read enough of them. I think a good old Jane Austen-a-thon should do the trick. I hate when book covers don't match. I don't have meltdowns, though. That only happens when a book is falling apart. I got this really old copy of Watership Down and it was falling apart more and more with just about every page turn and I literally started crying. Don't worry. I'm not that cooky. It was just really annoying and I was tired, and yea...The things I'll do for books...Rereading is definitely the best way to get out of a reading slump. I reread books all the time.

These GIFs are perfection. AND I AM ALMOST DONE WITH UNDIVIDED AND ALL I CAN SAY IS *INTERNALLY SCREAMING* But that is in reference to rereading stuff, and stuff. But I quit books, so don't worry about it. You can go on amazingly the same without thinking about the books you've never read. XD Anyway, great thoughts, and I love the reactions you give.

OH MY GOSH. EVERY TIME I READ YOUR BLOG I DISCOVER YOU LOVE ANOTHER BOOK I LOVE. GOOOONE!!! Michael Grant is my favourite of favouritest. xD BZRK freaks me out (ugh, mind bugs, ugh) but I love love love that trilogy so much. I have to read the last book, but I've just put it off becuase I listened to the first 2 on audio and now I have to read the last book and I'm going to miss the accents from the audio. x) OMIGOSH have you read Messenger of Fear?? It's amazing. *ahem*So yes. I am a die-hard Michael Grant fan. x)

Also why can't books just be all printed the same size? How hard is that, huh, publishers? Huh?

Well, it's your fault I keep posting about books you talk about xD I like Grant's writing - I'll confess again that Gone isn't my most favoritest thing, but I AM enjoying BZRK, even if I thought it got off to a rough start. I'm about to start the third one as well and I'm SO. NERVOUS. It scares me to death. I haven't read Messenger of Fear, but obviously I need to check it out!

And I know, really. You'd think there would be a regulation size or something? Although, I can't really complain about it TOO much, seeing as how Red Rising/Golden Son probably deserve their size.